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Live From...
Interview With Ginger Hardage
Aired October 17, 2003 - 13:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The top story at the half hour -- the FBI right now investigating suspicious item found last night in the bathrooms of two Southwest flights, one in Houston, the other in New Orleans. You're looking at picture via our affiliate KRIV right now.
Several box cutters, a clay substance resembling plastic explosives and what appeared to be bleach were in plastic bags in the lavatories of each plane. Now in a statement southwest has said that the notes indicated the items were intended to challenge airport checkpoint security procedures. Department of Homeland Security has ordered all commercial aircraft searched within the next 24 hours.
KDFW reporter Melissa Cutler just caught up with Southwest Airlines. They made this statement.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA CUTLER, KDFW CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and just to bring you up to date again, the three plastic bags were found on two Southwest Airlines flights. Those planes have been grounded in Houston and New Orleans.
Inside those three bags, as you mentioned, box cutters, a clay- like substance, bleach, as well as a note that appears to be taking on our security measures here in the United States, our anti-terrorism measures, challenging the Transportation Safety Administration's checkpoint if you will, trying to show that these kinds of prohibited, possibly dangerous materials could, in fact, get on board a plane.
Now it's been an intense morning here at Southwest headquarters here at Love Field. I want to introduce you to Ginger Hardage. Good morning to you.
GINGER HARDAGE, SOUTHWEST AIRLINES: Good morning. Thank you.
CUTLER: You've been very busy, a flurry of activity. Where do we stand?
HARDAGE: Well our first concern was the safety and security of our customers and employees. So as soon as those items were discovered, the first one in New Orleans, when we were doing a repair on the lavatory of the aircraft, one of the bags was discovered, and we immediately began working with authorities there in New Orleans.
And then a few hours later, a bag was discovered in Houston on one of our aircrafts undergoing a routine maintenance check. So we began immediately to work with the Transportation Security Administration and the FBI and we've started those investigations.
But our major concern was inspecting all our aircraft. And that happened during the wee hours of the morning so our aircraft could be ready today. We had 385 aircraft inspected throughout the evening to ensure the safety of all our employees and customers.
CUTLER: Any cancellations or delays as a result of this?
HARDAGE: No, we have not. They were very efficient. And we devoted a lot of resource to it, to be able to thoroughly inspect those aircraft to ensure the safety of everyone involved.
CUTLER: Any thoughts as to why Southwest Airlines in particular had these items on board?
HARDAGE: Well, you know, at this point we don't know that it's just Southwest Airlines. The particular person appears to be targeting the checkpoint security procedures of the -- of TSA, the Transportation Security Administration.
CUTLER: And are you hearing from officials it's a person as opposed to a group?
HARDAGE: We certainly aren't. It appears to be that of an individual, but I couldn't comment on that.
CUTLER: Have you been notified of the contents of that note? Specifically what did it say?
HARDAGE: I know the authorities are working on that and I don't have that in my possession.
CUTLER: As for the rest of the day in terms of flights?
HARDAGE: We are running on time. Our flights are running on time. We're continuing to be very diligent in security. Again, the needs and the concern of all our customers is utmost in our minds.
CUTLER: Thank you very much, Ginger. And again, all the flights...
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: All right.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired October 17, 2003 - 13:33 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: The top story at the half hour -- the FBI right now investigating suspicious item found last night in the bathrooms of two Southwest flights, one in Houston, the other in New Orleans. You're looking at picture via our affiliate KRIV right now.
Several box cutters, a clay substance resembling plastic explosives and what appeared to be bleach were in plastic bags in the lavatories of each plane. Now in a statement southwest has said that the notes indicated the items were intended to challenge airport checkpoint security procedures. Department of Homeland Security has ordered all commercial aircraft searched within the next 24 hours.
KDFW reporter Melissa Cutler just caught up with Southwest Airlines. They made this statement.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MELISSA CUTLER, KDFW CORRESPONDENT: Yes, and just to bring you up to date again, the three plastic bags were found on two Southwest Airlines flights. Those planes have been grounded in Houston and New Orleans.
Inside those three bags, as you mentioned, box cutters, a clay- like substance, bleach, as well as a note that appears to be taking on our security measures here in the United States, our anti-terrorism measures, challenging the Transportation Safety Administration's checkpoint if you will, trying to show that these kinds of prohibited, possibly dangerous materials could, in fact, get on board a plane.
Now it's been an intense morning here at Southwest headquarters here at Love Field. I want to introduce you to Ginger Hardage. Good morning to you.
GINGER HARDAGE, SOUTHWEST AIRLINES: Good morning. Thank you.
CUTLER: You've been very busy, a flurry of activity. Where do we stand?
HARDAGE: Well our first concern was the safety and security of our customers and employees. So as soon as those items were discovered, the first one in New Orleans, when we were doing a repair on the lavatory of the aircraft, one of the bags was discovered, and we immediately began working with authorities there in New Orleans.
And then a few hours later, a bag was discovered in Houston on one of our aircrafts undergoing a routine maintenance check. So we began immediately to work with the Transportation Security Administration and the FBI and we've started those investigations.
But our major concern was inspecting all our aircraft. And that happened during the wee hours of the morning so our aircraft could be ready today. We had 385 aircraft inspected throughout the evening to ensure the safety of all our employees and customers.
CUTLER: Any cancellations or delays as a result of this?
HARDAGE: No, we have not. They were very efficient. And we devoted a lot of resource to it, to be able to thoroughly inspect those aircraft to ensure the safety of everyone involved.
CUTLER: Any thoughts as to why Southwest Airlines in particular had these items on board?
HARDAGE: Well, you know, at this point we don't know that it's just Southwest Airlines. The particular person appears to be targeting the checkpoint security procedures of the -- of TSA, the Transportation Security Administration.
CUTLER: And are you hearing from officials it's a person as opposed to a group?
HARDAGE: We certainly aren't. It appears to be that of an individual, but I couldn't comment on that.
CUTLER: Have you been notified of the contents of that note? Specifically what did it say?
HARDAGE: I know the authorities are working on that and I don't have that in my possession.
CUTLER: As for the rest of the day in terms of flights?
HARDAGE: We are running on time. Our flights are running on time. We're continuing to be very diligent in security. Again, the needs and the concern of all our customers is utmost in our minds.
CUTLER: Thank you very much, Ginger. And again, all the flights...
(END VIDEOTAPE)
PHILLIPS: All right.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
